The outstanding success of Gladstone junior hockey

HOCKEY: The outstanding success of Gladstone junior hockey is snowballing with six girls from the Port City gaining state talent squad selection.

The under-15 girls team played in Hervey Bay and came away with a heartbreaking second in Division Two however gained a nod of state representative recognition for their efforts.

Isabel Nolke, Anaya McCafferty, Zarah Nash and Jaynae Josefski were selected for under-15 state team squad.

Charli-Rose Adams and Jorja Grundy got selection honours for under-16 state development camp.

McCafferty, who plays for local club Meteors seniors, looked forward to the training and was keen not to let her fitness and skills drop during the off season.

"I was stoked and surprised about the under-15s selection and the team worked hard during the championship," she said.

"I have to keep working hard with off season training so my skills and fitness doesn't drop when we go to Brisbane in January 2019 for state selection."

McCafferty also played an integral role in Meteors A1 women double header victories of both Central Queensland Hockey League and Gladstone Hockey Association grand finals earlier this season.

Adams stars with local club Souths, gained selection for under-16s Queensland development squad and was aiming to take her hockey skills to the highest level she could gain with representative honours.

"The development squad is heading to Townsville in November and we get to train with some ex-Kookaburras (Australian men's national team)," Adams said.

"Playing in Division 2 at Hervey Bay with my teammates was fun and we did better than last year."

During the Queensland under-15 state championship, the Gladstone team won six of seven games and Adams was named Player of Division 2.

"It would be good to play for the Hockeyroos (Australian women's national team) and go to the World Cup, Olympic or Commonwealth Games one day," she said.

Josefski splits her playing time between Yaralla and Sparks and was excited about the trial for state selection.

"It was great news to get and I'm very happy about it and to go to Brisbane in the last weekend of January and trial for Queensland," Josefski said.

Under-15s Gladstone coach Glenn Crosisca said the selection of the players was positive for local hockey.

"There was six players selected from Division 2 and only a couple from Brisbane 3 in the same group and it shows how strong the junior competition is in Gladstone hockey," Crosisca said.

"This will be a big step for them but they all play senior hockey as well and it will help them out when they go away."